Happy Holidays - Don't Forget Part-Time Work

By Wendy Oliveras on Tuesday, December 15 2009

With all the shopping and holiday preparations on high speed mode, how can you even think about continuing your job search and landing a great position for the coming year? Actually, now is the perfect time to make the most out of your job search.

Historically, during the months of December and January, many companies hire seasonal employees on a part-time basis. Oftentimes, these part-time opportunities turn into full-time positions because you may be replacing a former employee that did not work out. On the other hand, there are other companies which have budgeted and planned out their hiring needs for the new year and currently seek qualified candidates. Regardless of your specific background and skillset, prospective employers can be more selective now, since there are so many job applicants applying for each available opportunity.

What I recommend for you to do at this juncture is to take out the appropriate time to network and research part-time job openings. Once you have landed an interview, I suggest the following:

Be knowledgeable about the company and its services by researching what they do and how they do it, i.e., do they sell products or provide particular services and who are their primary customers;

Be cheerful and upbeat because this reflects interest and eagerness to work;

Be flexible and open to whatever the job requirements are, including time shifts and working on weekends;

Be confident about your abilities and work experience; and

Be clear about your goals and express your interest in a full-time position, so that the supervisor can keep that in mind if you are hired.

If you do get hired for a part-time position, treat it as if it were a full-time and do the very best you can to be an exemplary employee. You may even want to request to take on other responsibilities depending on your capabilities. At the end of the day, only you know what you can and cannot handle. So, go ahead and buy those presents, but don’t ignore part-time work. Happy Holidays and may the New Year bring you health, happiness, and prosperity.

Wendy Oliveras is a columnist, author, search consultant, and career planning and development advisor. She can be reached at either (201) 947-6662 or via email wo@oliverascoinc.com. Please also visit her at http://www.twitter.com/wendyoliveras or http://www.linkedin/in/wendyoliveras or http://www.oliverascoinc.com.

To view Wendy's previous articles, please visit http://www.examiner.com/x-22670-NY-Search-Consultant-Examiner. Thanks.